You might be surprised to know that about 20 percent of small businesses fail in the first year. It can be due to many reasons, including poor leadership and a lack of market demand.
Incorrectly promoting your company can also be a major factor. A corporate event can be a great way to meet new clients and express appreciation for your employees. Not everyone is familiar with the intricacies of planning a corporate event.
How you handle these situations can determine whether or not the event meets your requirements. Here’s what you need to know before moving forward.
Decide what success looks like
It is important to remember this tip, because it will determine your next steps. Would you like your corporate event be entertaining or informative? What is the perfect occasion?
Are there any special needs that you have which you would not normally find at an event for corporates? Answers to these questions will help you start on the right path. The more clearly you can see your success, the easier you will find it to achieve it.
Ask people what they want
Asking your attendees to tell you what they would like to see at the event will streamline your planning. You will also save money by not spending it on things that nobody enjoys.
Spending money on speakers who are not interesting, for instance, can detract from people’s overall experience. Send out surveys in advance to give you time to cater for their needs.
Ask if the person would be open to attending events at different locations. These responses can be used to eliminate undesirable options.
Date
Establishing a specific time for your event is essential. You don’t want to prevent attendees from attending your event due to schedule conflicts.
You can also reduce your expenses by doing this. This information will make it easier for your guests to arrange transportation.
You’re less likely to encounter complications if you give more information. Avoid peak travel periods when setting a date. Included in this are holidays.
Select a memorable concept
You don’t want to spend all that time and effort on an event only to fail to leave a lasting impression on your attendees. A theme or concept will give your event a new lease of life and make it more interesting. Do not be discouraged, however, if you are unable to come up with a theme.
Do not feel compelled to use them if the idea does not come to you naturally. This information will help you avoid any major complications.
Source vendors and assess costs
Corporate events can be expensive if they are not managed properly. You should minimize the costs of miscellaneous items to focus on what is most important for your event. Then you can decide if your budget allows for additional purchases.
The cost of amenities, for instance, can quickly add to the total. It’s important to start looking for vendors as early as possible so that you have plenty of time before the event. You’ll also have more time to negotiate the terms of their agreement if you are not satisfied with your initial agreement.
Choose the perfect venue
It is important to choose the right location for your event. You may find it easier to locate availability if you choose an alternative venue than the most popular corporate event space.
You’ll find plenty of options that are within your budget. Contact the staff at the venue to see how accommodating they can be. You won’t achieve the desired results no matter how appealing the venue appears if the staff is not willing to accommodate your needs.
Decide on keynotes and sessions, as well as entertainment
Keep your audience entertained to keep them interested. It’s not wrong to organize an educational event, but your guests may quickly become bored.
It is particularly true for events that last longer. Celebrities or public figures are always available to entertain.
You can also be creative with your entertainment. Define your event sessions clearly so that you can provide your guests with an accurate schedule. It’s not essential, but a little extra can make your guests feel welcome.
Create a promotional strategy
Even if you plan a corporate event meticulously, it will still require promotion. When marketing your event, emphasize its most unique qualities.
It could be the theme of your event, the key speakers that you have booked, vendors etc. Use online ads and social networks to put your promotional materials in the hands of the right people.
Your promotional materials should be shareable. Digital marketing can help you quickly increase awareness for your event.
Create meaningful experiences
Your event does not have to be awe-inspiring for your audience in every aspect. There should still be some meaningful experiences. Your keynote speakers and guests will most likely be the source of these experiences.
During the event, you should also showcase your company’s most important members. Do not forget to thank the team who helped you plan the event. It will show your appreciation and that you care about your employees.
Use event management software
Imagine logging into different platforms to organize the details of your event from multiple accounts. It can be frustrating and overwhelming. You can streamline your planning with event management software.
You can manage key details in one place. It can improve both efficiency and reduce the risk of errors.
These types of software are often not expensive. Select software with a lot of positive feedback from users. You should also look for comments that discuss the learning curve.
It’s not worth it to spend time learning difficult software. In most cases, the best software solution is easy-to-use and affordable. You can save money and time by searching for the best option.
Invite attendees early
Invite your guests as soon as you have secured a venue, and established key elements of your event schedule. They may not be able attend without the right notice. Invitations are often sent months in advance.
Do not worry about providing information too early. Some companies send out invitations to their events up to six months in advance.
RSVPs are also required so that you can accurately count the attendees. This will prevent a number of issues, including a lack of food. You can also organize your event better if you get RSVPs early.
Plan your menu
You will find that your guests are hungry during the event. Many people won’t leave the venue for food. Catering is an excellent way to keep your guests occupied and satiated.
You’ll still need to select the correct menu. They should be both enticing as well as inclusive. You shouldn’t exclude vegans or vegetarians.
Food allergies are no different. Do not skimp on food either. People will remember the food more than the occasion.
Consider All Possibilities
You risk having to deal with problems you could have avoided if you don’t have a contingency plan. List the most likely issues and determine the best course of action.
Then you can examine scenarios that are less likely to happen. You will have an easier time overcoming issues if you are prepared.
It is a good idea to have multiple plans for every issue. Being caught unaware can cause even more complications.
Do final walkthroughs
After everything has been planned, it’s time to do a walkthrough of the event. This will ensure that everything is in order. This process should be done slowly to ensure that you do not miss anything. Contact the relevant party immediately if you find any areas that need attention.
This may seem like a hassle at first but it is one of the best ways to ensure a great experience. You shouldn’t encounter any problems if you plan ahead.
Survey participants to measure success
Asking people how they enjoyed your event can be a great way to find out. Sending a link via email to a survey with important questions such as how they feel you could have made improvements is a great way to learn. Don’t be concerned if people don’t respond immediately. It may take up to a week for them to read and reply to your message.
Offer incentives to encourage people respond promptly. There is plenty of creativity in this area, for example offering discounts on future services.
You can use this feedback to make changes in the future. You don’t want the same problems to appear at multiple events.
Assess your performance
You can then discuss the performance of your event with key stakeholders. You can then gain an objective view of how the event played out. You can determine if you have met your targets.
You should document the key points of your event as it is happening so that you can refer to them in this conversation. The key metrics to consider are:
- Attendance
- Survey Responses
- There were a number of major issues.
You can use this information to make better decisions about your next event.
Working with a professional
Professional event planners can improve the effectiveness of your planning. You can focus more on your business and reduce your overall workload by hiring a professional event planner.
Consider the past reputation of any candidate you are considering hiring. Look at what others have said about the company.
Also, pay attention to their response to criticism. When faced with negative feedback, never work with a company that becomes defensive or aggressive. Be on the lookout for false reviews.
They are usually posted in batches, and many keywords are repeated. Does the company communicate well?
It can be frustrating to be left in the darkness. You may not be able solve problems on your own in many cases.
Assessing their customer service policy will give you a good idea of their communication level. Clients should be eager to help them resolve issues as soon as possible. Before you decide to proceed, make sure that you have a look at their pricing structure.
You’ll get a better idea of what to budget. You should always avoid the cheapest option. You will not get the results you want if these options are cheap.
But you don’t need to spend the maximum amount of money. You can meet your needs by choosing something in the middle price range. You shouldn’t encounter any problems finding the right choice if you do your research.
